Rajesh Hanswal : Pioneer Of India's Political Tech & Analytics Ecosystem
Rajesh Hanswal
Chief Data Technology & AI Officer
The role demands technical depth, leadership clarity, and an ability to align Data, and technology with real-world impact. Rajesh Hanswal, currently serving as Chief Data, Technology & AI Officer and a member of the Leadership Team at I-PAC, embodies this blend of vision and execution.
Over the past nine years, he has helped build and scale one of the most extensive data and technology infrastructures in India’s political campaign ecosystem.
Born and raised in Delhi in a traditional Marwadi family, Hanswal studied at St. Xavier’s School, Rohini, before graduating in Mathematics and Computing from Delhi Technological University (formerly Delhi College of Engineering).
With an early interest in coding and systems thinking, he joined I-PAC in 2016 and quickly became one of the key architects behind its data & technology backbone.
From building dashboards, websites, and automation tools to enabling volunteer networks and campaign outreaches at a massive scale, he helped strengthen sentiment tracking, analytical modelling and the technological and operational machinery in the political ecosystem of India. His work had been quietly powering some of India’s largest political strategies.
After nearly a decade of pioneering data and technology work in the political landscape, he is now focused on shaping the next wave of applied AI in Indian political campaigns. Combining systems first thinking with a strong execution approach, he is building practical AI-led products designed to enhance decision-making speed, improve process efficiency, and unlock scale.
With a career defined by innovation, clarity of thought, and a commitment to impact, Rajesh Hanswal exemplifies how data and technology can redefine political engage- ment, governance, and decision systems at scale.
What roles or responsi- bilities do students and young professionals have at I-PAC?
At I-PAC, young professionals are entrusted with meaningful responsibilities from the very early part of their journey. The system values individuals who combine competence with a genuine intent to create impact, regardless of experience level.
People from diverse backgrounds, such as engineering, data science, law, media, social sciences, marketing, design, public policy, management and many more work together to design and execute campaigns that resonate with citizens.
We operate through multiple verticals: Campaign, Field Strategy, Operations, Data, Technology & AI, Media, Digital Communications, Strategic Research, Political Intelligence, Design, Content, Marketing, and various core support teams.
Young professionals form the backbone of these units, solving unique problem statements and contributing directly to strategy and execution.
Within the Data Technology & AI vertical, teams focus on Survey
Analytics, Data, Engineering, Social Media Analytics, Machine Learning, AI/NLP/LLMs, Product Analytics, Cloud and Infra, System Design, UI/UX, Web and Mobile App Development, DevOps, Telephony Operations, and QA/Testing. Each team brings deep expertise, but progress happens through collaboration, building scalable systems and insights that guide on-ground decisions.
How do data and technology influence decision-making within I-PAC’s political campaigns?
At I-PAC, Data and Technology form the backbone of every campaign, guiding decisions from initial strategy to execution and its impact assessment. The organisation deals with large, diverse, and constantly shifting data across states, demographics, and social contexts. By studying people’s issues, perceptions, and decision drivers, the team identifies swing segments, tracks retention trends, and evaluates the impact of events, governance decisions, and changing narratives.
Real-time sentiment insights, combined with historical electoral and demographic data, help make sense of political shifts. This integrated intelligence guides and supports major strategic decisions, alliances, candidate selections, focus-seat priorities, demographic targeting, booth-level strategies, social media or communication strategies and operational planning. Analytical models and large-scale simulations allow teams to test scenarios, optimise options, and ensure that decisions are timely and grounded in evidence.
Operationally, technology enables us to manage scale and complexity. The magnitude at which we operate across states, districts, and constituencies requires robust tools, platforms, and systems that are efficient, scalable, and reliable.
We use technology for execution, monitoring, enabling large-scale messaging dissemination along with public and supporters’ engagement through big Mobile applications, sophisticated Dashboards, complex automation tools, campaign management systems, interesting websites, and many telephony and large-scale outreach setups.
It allows us to track progress, engage supporters, and execute plans at speed with scale and great reliability and efficiency. The combination of strong data infra -structure and an advanced technological backbone we are able to translate our insights into accurate, responsive, and high-impact ground action.
How do you ensure data accuracy, integrity and reliability, especially in high-pressure election environ- ments?
Elections demand speed and precision, and data accuracy is maintained through a multi-layered process at I-PAC. Every stage, data collection, validation, cleaning, analysis, and reporting undergoes automated and manual checks to ensure reliability. Sensitive datasets are accessible only to designated members, and strategic insights are shared exclusively with senior leadership.
Security protocols such as role-based access, IP and location restrictions, isolated systems, version control, and audit logs ensure integrity. A politically neutral workspace for analysts helps maintain objectivity and prevents external influences from colouring interpretation. End-to-end audit trails and redundancy checks further reinforce accountability.
Through disciplined processes, secure infrastructure, and a strong culture of responsibility, I-PAC ensures that its data-driven decisions remain credible and reflective of ground reality, even under election pressure environments.
How do data and technology influence decision-making within I-PAC’s political campaigns?
At I-PAC, Data and Technology form the backbone of every campaign, guiding decisions from initial strategy to execution and its impact assessment. The organisation deals with large, diverse, and constantly shifting data across states, demographics, and social contexts. By studying people’s issues, perceptions, and decision drivers, the team identifies swing segments, tracks retention trends, and evaluates the impact of events, governance decisions, and changing narratives.
Polaris Award 2025 (Mobile Technology for Team Jagananna App), SIAM International Recognition 2015
Real-time sentiment insights, combined with historical electoral and demographic data, help make sense of political shifts. This integrated intelligence guides and supports major strategic decisions, alliances, candidate selections, focus-seat priorities, demographic targeting, booth-level strategies, social media or communication strategies and operational planning. Analytical models and large-scale simulations allow teams to test scenarios, optimise options, and ensure that decisions are timely and grounded in evidence.
Operationally, technology enables us to manage scale and complexity. The magnitude at which we operate across states, districts, and constituencies requires robust tools, platforms, and systems that are efficient, scalable, and reliable.
We use technology for execution, monitoring, enabling large-scale messaging dissemination along with public and supporters’ engagement through big Mobile applications, sophisticated Dashboards, complex automation tools, campaign management systems, interesting websites, and many telephony and large-scale outreach setups.
It allows us to track progress, engage supporters, and execute plans at speed with scale and great reliability and efficiency. The combination of strong data infra -structure and an advanced technological backbone we are able to translate our insights into accurate, responsive, and high-impact ground action.
How do you ensure data accuracy, integrity and reliability, especially in high-pressure election environ- ments?
Elections demand speed and precision, and data accuracy is maintained through a multi-layered process at I-PAC. Every stage, data collection, validation, cleaning, analysis, and reporting undergoes automated and manual checks to ensure reliability. Sensitive datasets are accessible only to designated members, and strategic insights are shared exclusively with senior leadership.
Security protocols such as role-based access, IP and location restrictions, isolated systems, version control, and audit logs ensure integrity. A politically neutral workspace for analysts helps maintain objectivity and prevents external influences from colouring interpretation. End-to-end audit trails and redundancy checks further reinforce accountability.
Through disciplined processes, secure infrastructure, and a strong culture of responsibility, I-PAC ensures that its data-driven decisions remain credible and reflective of ground reality, even under election pressure environments.
Tell us about your leadership approach. What guidelines do you follow?
My leadership philosophy is rooted in clarity, trust, and empathy. I believe strong teams grow when they understand the “why” behind their work and feel empowered to take ownership. I prefer guiding over managing, setting direction, removing bottlenecks, and enabling people to think independently.
I follow a “zoom in, zoom out” approach. For recurring tasks, I encourage building stable systems and processes so teams can independently deliver with consistency. For new or complex challenges, I personally zoom in with senior members to design a solution pathway. Once the model works we institutionalise it and conti -nuously optimise for speed, efficiency, and quality.
I value flexibility over rigidity because creative problem-solving thrives in environments of trust. At the same time, I maintain high standards and ensure that everyone understands the benchmarks we must meet. A culture of constant learning, experimentation, and improve- ment is central to how I lead. Acknowledging small wins and progress helps build momentum and fosters a sense of shared purpose.
How do you stay updated with industry trends and developments?
I stay updated through continuous experi-mentation and hands-on learning. For me, knowledge grows when you apply ideas to real systems, push boundaries, and test new approaches. Much of my learning comes from refining our products and technology to make them more reliable, scalable, and efficient.
I actively follow how global experts use emerging technologies and innovative frameworks to solve meaningful problems. My learning approach is a mix of structured upskilling, case studies, quick tutorials, and discussions with colleagues from diverse fields, which often bring fresh perspectives.
I also track political developments closely to understand how events shape public sentiment and behaviour. This blend of structured learning, curiosity, and applied problem-solving helps me stay adaptable and ready for future challenges.
What is the future destination you are heading towards?
My immediate focus is on contributing to achieving great outcomes for our ongoing work in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu for the 2026 Assembly elections. I aim to leverage nearly a decade of experience across surveys, analytics, political insights, and technology to deliver impactful results.
Beyond upcoming campaigns, I am deeply committed to advancing AI across our workflows, making existing systems faster, more scalable, and more precise. A major area of focus is enabling AI to understand vernacular datasets accurately, ensuring deeper contextual interpretation across regions.
We are also building machine learning models and open-source data pipelines to enhance analytical depth and efficiency. Ultimately, we aim to create intelligence-led systems that go beyond dashboards, combining large-scale data, behavioural insights, and AI to support real-time decision-making at scale.
Rajesh Hanswal, Chief Data, Technology, & AI Officer (Leadership Team, I-Pac)
Rajesh Hanswal is the Chief Data, Technology & AI Officer and member of the Leadership Team at I-PAC. A B.Tech graduate from D.T.U (formerly Delhi College of Engineering), he has over nine years of experience in political data, technology architecture, analytics, and AI-led decision systems. He is widely regarded as a pioneer in India’s political technology ecosystem.
My leadership philosophy is rooted in clarity, trust, and empathy. I believe strong teams grow when they understand the “why” behind their work and feel empowered to take ownership. I prefer guiding over managing, setting direction, removing bottlenecks, and enabling people to think independently.
I follow a “zoom in, zoom out” approach. For recurring tasks, I encourage building stable systems and processes so teams can independently deliver with consistency. For new or complex challenges, I personally zoom in with senior members to design a solution pathway. Once the model works we institutionalise it and conti -nuously optimise for speed, efficiency, and quality.
I value flexibility over rigidity because creative problem-solving thrives in environments of trust. At the same time, I maintain high standards and ensure that everyone understands the benchmarks we must meet. A culture of constant learning, experimentation, and improve- ment is central to how I lead. Acknowledging small wins and progress helps build momentum and fosters a sense of shared purpose.
How do you stay updated with industry trends and developments?
I stay updated through continuous experi-mentation and hands-on learning. For me, knowledge grows when you apply ideas to real systems, push boundaries, and test new approaches. Much of my learning comes from refining our products and technology to make them more reliable, scalable, and efficient.
I actively follow how global experts use emerging technologies and innovative frameworks to solve meaningful problems. My learning approach is a mix of structured upskilling, case studies, quick tutorials, and discussions with colleagues from diverse fields, which often bring fresh perspectives.
I also track political developments closely to understand how events shape public sentiment and behaviour. This blend of structured learning, curiosity, and applied problem-solving helps me stay adaptable and ready for future challenges.
What is the future destination you are heading towards?
My immediate focus is on contributing to achieving great outcomes for our ongoing work in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu for the 2026 Assembly elections. I aim to leverage nearly a decade of experience across surveys, analytics, political insights, and technology to deliver impactful results.
Beyond upcoming campaigns, I am deeply committed to advancing AI across our workflows, making existing systems faster, more scalable, and more precise. A major area of focus is enabling AI to understand vernacular datasets accurately, ensuring deeper contextual interpretation across regions.
We are also building machine learning models and open-source data pipelines to enhance analytical depth and efficiency. Ultimately, we aim to create intelligence-led systems that go beyond dashboards, combining large-scale data, behavioural insights, and AI to support real-time decision-making at scale.
Rajesh Hanswal, Chief Data, Technology, & AI Officer (Leadership Team, I-Pac)
Rajesh Hanswal is the Chief Data, Technology & AI Officer and member of the Leadership Team at I-PAC. A B.Tech graduate from D.T.U (formerly Delhi College of Engineering), he has over nine years of experience in political data, technology architecture, analytics, and AI-led decision systems. He is widely regarded as a pioneer in India’s political technology ecosystem.